TESTING F1 HYBRIDS OF BRASSICA-OLERACEA FOR SIBS BY SEED ISOENZYME ANALYSIS

Extracts of seeds of Brassica oleracea L. cultivars were separated by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels and stained for 14 enzymes to investigate the possibility of utilising isoenzyme variation to determine sib frequencies in hybrid cultivars. Acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2), cr‐amylase (3.2.1.1), carboxylesterase (3.1.1.1), β‐galactosidase (3.2.1.23), β‐glucosidase (3.2.1.21), leucine aminopeptidase (3.4.11.1) and peroxidase (1.11.1.7) reactions gave discrete bands. Three broad zones of acid phosphatase activity occurred and control of banding patterns in the intermediate zone by a series of co‐dominant alleles was confirmed. The locus is designated acp‐1. Sib frequencies could be estimated in eight of 21 F1, cultivars examined, since their parent lines were homozygous for different acp‐1 alleles. This method of estimation has several advantages and offers a practical alternative to current methods. Routine determination of sib frequencies by using any of the other enzymes investigated is impractical. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved